Direction finding by hornets in a vertically rotating centrifuge

In a vertically rotating centrifuge, the direction of the resultant gravitational and centrifugal forces is constantly changing. Hornets placed in such a centrifuge will build their combs in the direction of the resultant only if the centrifuge is stopped every day and left in the same position for at least half an hour, because during the cessation of motion, they presumably “learn” some geometrical cues which enable them to determine the preferred angle of building. Hornets can detect and respond to a centrifugal force as small as 0·18% of the earth's gravitational force. At a rotational rate of 1/8 of a revolution per minute there was no comb construction whatsoever and hornet mortality rate was 100% within three days.